Cuba has announced it will start rationing food and other basic products. It says beans, chicken, eggs, rice, soap and other goods will be rationed. Cuba is facing a serious economic crisis. There are many shortages of food and other things. This is because the USA has changed how it is trading with Cuba. The U.S. trade embargo makes it very difficult for Cuba to buy food. However, many economists say there is a bigger reason for the shortages. This is the cut in fuel aid from Venezuela. A crisis in Venezuela has led to a two-thirds cut in cheap fuel to Cuba.
Cuba imports about two-thirds of its food. A lot of this came from the USA. Cuba spent about $2 billion a year on food imports. The US embargo and the crisis in Venezuela means Cuba can import less food. Many supermarket shelves are empty. Many people have to stand in line in shops. The government has started rationing to stop people buying and keeping food. If people do this, there is less food for others. One store in the capital city Havana said people could not buy more than four packets of powdered milk and four packs of sausages. One shopper said life was "tough".